How to say "precedence" in Japanese

• 優先ゆうせんJLPT N1approx.Common
  suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verb, no-adjectiveCovers precedence as priority: one thing being treated as more important or dealt with before another, as when one request takes precedence over another. Choose this when precedence means priority between competing things.
  この任務にんむはすべての任務にんむに優先ゆうせんする。↗

  This duty has priority over all others.
• 上席じょうせきCommon
  no-adjectivePrecedence in the sense of seniority among people, especially who takes the seat of honor; it literally means 'upper seat,' so it concerns social precedence, not priority between tasks or requests.
• 順位じゅんいCommon
  nounPrecedence as relative order or rank: the position a person or thing holds in a sequence, such as a race finishing order. It names where something stands in an order, not the act of prioritizing.

Choose 優先 when precedence means priority — one thing being given preference over another; 上席 for precedence as seniority or the seat of honor among people; and 順位 for precedence as rank or order in a sequence.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 優先ゆうせんpreference
• 上席じょうせきseniority
• 順位じゅんいorder
• 先番せんばんprecedence
• 席次せきじseating order
• 班次はんじranking
• 次第しだいorder